Automobile signal



Patented Aug. 6, 1935 UNITED STATES Pil'rislvr OFFICE w L y "010,488 f ToMoBILE SIGNAL DonaldDQHuddleston, San Antonio, Tex. Application January 15, 1934,l Seriali No.A 706,756

" z'claims. (01.177-329) This invention relates to a signal and direction indicator for vehicles of any kind and has for the primary object the provision of a device of'the above stated character which `will be light in weight, neat, durable and smooth in operation and will be visible bothnight and day to readily attract attentionwhen in operative position and consists of a minimum number of parts of the simplest construction rendering the chance of the device gettingout of order or failingto operate to be negligible.

With these and other'objects in view this invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully ldescribed and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my inven tion, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a signal and direction'indicator constructed in accordance with my invention. l

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical'fsectional view showing the semaphore and its voperating means with the semaphore occupying `anon-signaling position.

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the sema` phore invsignalirig position. v

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the pivotal end of the semaphore.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional View illustrating the mounting of the illuminating means within the semaphore.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral I indicates a housing adapted to be suitably mounted in a vertical position to a vehicle and one side of said housing is open to form an entrance 2 for the movement of a semaphore 3 into and out of said housing. 'Ihe semaphore when depending within the housing is concealed from view and when swung outwardly of said housing into a horizontal position indicates that the respective vehicle is to make a turn from a straight course or to stop. The semaphore 3 may be of any desirable shape and the opposite walls thereof are of skeleton formation closed by transparent panels of different colors. Arranged within the semaphore is an electric lamp 4 to be illuminated when the semaphore is in signaling position so that the latter will be visible day or night.

A casing 5 is mounted in the housing by upper and lower brackets 6 and 'I. The lower bracket I also forms supports for electrical conductors 8 forming part of an electric circuit in which is included a control switch 9 located in convenient reach of the operator of the vehicle. The casing 5 supports and protects an electric solenoid I0, the core of which is indicated by the character II and carries at its upper end an armature I2. It is to be understood that the casing 5 supports the solenoid in a vertical position adjacent theupper end of the housing I andthe upper end of said casing provides a space vin which the armature I2 may slide and this fportion of the casing is provided with'a slotl I3 through Which'extends an arm I4 secured to the armature. The upper bracket 6 projects beyond the slotted side of the casing to form attaching portions I5 and to which is `pivoted one end of the semaphore 3. Carried by the outer end of the arm I4 is a head I6 operating between the attaching portions I5 and upper bracket 6 and this head is provided with a bill portion I6' to engage with a. pin I1 carried by hooks I8 mountedlto thepivotal end of the semaphore. Certain walls of the hooks I8.are shaped to form cam faces I 9. The downward movement of the'pin II during the energization of the solenoid is limited by stops 20 on the attaching portions I5 of vthe upper bracket 6. A leaf springZI is secured to the pivoted end of the semaphore and bears against the pin I'I when the semaphore is in signaling or horizontal position and bears against one face of the head I6 when the semaphore is in nonsignaling position. A coil spring 22 has one end secured to the semaphore and its opposite end connected to the pin by a strap-like element 23. The electric lamp 4 is connected to the electric circuit heretofore referred to and is illuminated when the semaphore is in signaling position due to the closing of the switch 9 which also completes the circuit to the solenoid for causing movement of the semaphore into signaling position, it being understood that when the circuit is interrupted by the switch 9 the electric lamp extinguishes and the semaphore gravitates into the housing I to assume non-signaling position.

In operation, during non-energization of the solenoid the various parts assume the position as shown in Figure 2 and on closing the circuit of the switch 9 the solenoid is energized attracting the armature I2 which causes a downward movement of the head I6 and due to its connection with the pivoted end of the semaphore, the latter is swung outwardly of the housing into horizontal or signaling position and maintains this position as long as the circuit is completed.

The interruption of the circuit permits the semaphore to gravitate into non-signaling position and the leaf spring to act in returning the head and the armature to their uppermost positions with respect to the casing 5. The movement of the semaphore into signaling position will have momentum suflicient to move the semaphore beyond signaling position, as shown in Figure 1 and to retard or absorb this momentum the spring 22 is provided which comes in action when the pin l'l engages with the stops 20, the momentum of the semaphore acting to move the bill I5 relative to the pin and the latter traveling upon the cam faces I9 causes a tensioning of the spring 22 to retard or absorb the move--v ment of the semaphore beyond signaling position. Y

When the parts are in non-signaling position-,rv as shown in Figure 2, the free end of the leaf spring is a considerable distance away from the pivoted end of the semaphore and by Athis arrangement a cushioning means is'provided for the sernaphore when -the'solenoid is energized. 'Ihe first movement of` the armature towards the solenoid compresses thel leaf 'spring againstthe pivoted end of the semaphore andvthis acts to gradually start the semaphore in its movement towards Vsignalingposition, and when the leaf spring ybecomes fully compressed the-bill portionlf of the head I6 v`engages with the pin, thereby providingl arpositi've drive between the head and the semaphore during-thenal movementsof the semaphore into signaling position.l The leaf spring alsov aids to restore the armature' and head in theirv uppermost position when the semaphore returns to its non-signaling position. Having described the invention, -I claim:

1. A signal comprising a housing having an ,entrance, Yabracket mounted in said housing ad- `iacent one end of thelatter, a semaphore adapted to lie within the housing when in non-signaling'poistion and to, move out of said housing by Wayof the Ventrance to ocoupya signaling position, ,a Divot connecting one end of -the semaphore to thebracket and located adjacent one end of the 'entranca-a solenoid carried by said bracket, anarmaturefor said solenoid, a manually controlled electric-circuit for said solenoid,

a head connected to the armature and having a bill portion, hooks secured to the pivoted end of the semaphore, a pin carried by said hooks and engaged by the bill portion for positioning the semaphore in signaling position during the energization of the solenoid, stops carried by said bracket and located in the path of movement of the pin to limit the movement of said pin in one direction, and a spring connected to the pin and to the semaphore between the latters pivot and its free end to yieldably resist the movement of the semaphore beyond its signaling position when moved from a non-signaling position.

2. A signal comprising a housing having an entrance, a bracket mounted in said housing adjacent one end of the latter, a semaphore adapted to lie within the housing when in non-signaling position and to move out of said housing by Way of the entrance to occupy a signaling position, a pivot connecting one end of the semaphore to the bracket and located adjacent one end of the entrance, a solenoid carried by said bracket, an armature for ksaid solenoid, a manually controlled electric lcircuit for said solenoid, a headconnected to the armature and having a bill portion, hooks secured to the pivoted end of the semaphore, a pin carried by said hooks and engaged by the billportionV for positioning the semaphore in signaling position during the energization of the solenoid, stops carried by said bracket and located in the` path of movement of the pin to limit the movement of said pin in one direction, a spring connected to the pin and to the semaphore between the latters pivot and its free end tok yieldably resist the movement of the semaphore beyond its signaling position when moved from a non-signaling position, and a second spring secured to the pivoted end of the semaphore and bearing against the head and the pin during different positions of the semaphore for the purpose of providingA a, cushion drive between the head and the semaphore during the latters initial movement; towards signaling position and-.for aiding to position the armature and the head in their normal positions when the semaphore turns to and occupies a non-signaling position.

' DONALD D. HUDDLESTON. 

